Shiftable garter hitch



Nov; '18',"1952 W. D. SAUL SHIFTABLE @ARTER x-xTCI-I ATTQRNIE)i Patented Nov. 18, 1952 UNITED STATS r 4 Claims.

This invention relates to garters o-r hose supporters of the general type commonly employed in multiple as .a part of womens apparel to engage with and support conventional stockings, and more primarily to that garter or hose su-pporter unit connectible with the rearward zone of a conventional stocking, and has as an object `to provide an improved such rearwardly-disposed garter selectively shiftable for facility of its use.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improv-ed mounting and support for the rearwardly-disposed unit of a conventional hosesupporting garter set.

A further object of the invention is to provide improved means f-or operatively and shiftably associ-ating the rearwardly-disposed unit of a hose- -sulpporting garter set with a conventional cors-et, girdle, or the like.

With the foregoing :and other objects in view, my inventi-on consists in the construction, arrangement, :and combination of elem-ents as hereinafter set forth, pointed out in my claims, and illustrated by the :a-ccompanying drawing, in which- IFigure l is an elevation of a typical construction and -arrangement of elements exemplifying the principles of the invention. Fig-ure 2 is a cross section, on an enlarged scale, taken substantially on the indicated line 2-2 of Figure 1. Figure 3 is va diagrammatic view of the improvement in position of practical use.

For the support of long stockings conventionally worn by women, it is customary to proy vide a plurality of garter or hose supporting elements on and in depending relation from the lower margin of a girdle, corset, belt, or similar undergarmen-t, in a spaced relationship appropriate for engagement with the stocking upper margin at one rearward and two generally for-A ward points of each stocking, three such units being frequently provided for the support of ea-ch stocking. The location of the rearwardly-disposed garter unit of each stocking set is such as to complicate the operations of connecting and disconnecting it relative t-o a stocking top, and the instant invention is hence directed to the provision of novel and improved means for associating such rearwardly-disposed garter unit with th-e appropriate garter, girdle, or equivalent garment, in a manner facilitating such operations through shiftability of the unit in a horizontal plane and to a position of ready availability on the person of the wearer.

As shown in the drawing, the numeral I in- -di-cates generally a corset, girdle, or analogous garment, having a lower margin, lor hem, II spaced in :position of wear somewhat .above the top line I 2 of conventional stockings in their positions of wear. A slide member I3 of any suitable rigid material, such as sheet metal, molded plastic, or the like, is formed as a thin sheet of an yappropriate length several times exceeding its width and with a longitudinal slot I4 extending the major length of the member and terminating .at one of it-s ends in a laterally-offset notch I5 adjacent the corresponding member end. There being a rearwardly-disposed garter unit for each leg of the wearer, a slide member I3 will be provi-ded for each of said garter units, the said complementary slide members being longitudinally curved to overlie the leg curvature in approximately horizontal extension along the garment hem II and being appropriately paired to position their ends accommodating the. notches I5 to overhang the rearward zones of the corresponding stocking tops and to extend. forwardly thence about the wearers legs. Secured at its upper margin to and to overlie a fabric backing I6, as by means of stitching, snap fasteners, or rivets Il, each slide member I3 is arranged to parallel an upper margin of the backing I6 which is in turn arranged for connection, preferably detachably, to and along the appropriate zone of the garment hem I I. While the upper margin of the backing I6 may be permanently stitched to the garment hem II, it is desirable that the slide member be removable an-d replaceable relative to the garment I0, for which purpose it is feasible and expedient to stitch a tape I8 carrying lone element of a slide fast-ener to the hem II and t-o mount the other Sli-de fastener element on the upper margin of lthe backing IS, thereby utilizing well known and readily-available means in the form of conventional slide fasteners I9 for detachably engaging the backing I6 carrying the slide member I3 to and in the desired relation with the garment hem II. As will be apparent, other selectivelydetachable means may be utilized to effect the mounting of the backing I6 on the hem II to function as hereinafter described.

Any appropriate type or construction of garter clasp 20 is engaged with and to depend from the lower end of an elastic loop 2l slidably engaged on and loosely about the lower bar of the slide member I3, so that said loop 2I may slide freely along said bar from one end to the other end of the slide member I3 and may engage, at times, in the notch I5 at the rearward end of said member; the elastic connection of the loop 2I.

functioning in the manner usual to and characteristic of the conventional elastic straps employed for the mounting of garter clasps.

Constructed and arranged as shown and described, the improvementl is of advantage in permitting manipulation of the rearward-disposed garter clasp 20 relative to the associated stocking without the strains and contortions incident to theV use of a permanently fixed such garter unit. When it is desired to manipulate the clasp 20, the loop 2l may be lifted slightly and moved forwardly about the leg through consequent disengagement of said loop from the notch IS'and slidable engagement of the loop with the slide member I3 lower bar. If the clasp'is'to bei'engaged with a stocking top, it'is shifted `forwardly on the slide member to the end of said member remote from its notch I5 and is there positioned for convenient access and engagement with the E.appropriate -'selected *point of the AYstocking Stop, 'whreater the -loop 'is returned Aalong V,theV slide Vrn'emb'er *lowerr bar 'for reengagement lwi'th "the Anotch t5, the stocking top is smoothed intoproper alignment with the 'new-position of the clasp, -a'nd the stretching of the stocking* reflected through Y the 'clasp' andloop 'operates tor maintain the loop '2 I= engaged'in' the'notchl 5' andl-to hold the'fga'rter unit against'shi'ft away from 'its notch-determilled `l'Ci/Sltoli. Mani'fe-Sy, 'disengagement -of the V zlasp2ii'from the stocking top mayfbeef- Vfected in the rearward disposition of the garter l'-the'f notch `I5V andl again'Vt shifted to the forward end of the-slide member' I3.

VVAs will'be Aapparenty-tlfie farmland-'construction of 'the slide-member I3' inits operative'- associamounting on thef garment; I Ilfprovides af comfort- Y able, oompactQ 'and "practical @arrangement 'for shifting thef'gal'liery unit "dICUIt'OaCCSS to a 'position` of ready avail-abilityuandior returnv of suc-h Yunitv to its ,desired position ofusewlithffavLeility and convenience.

'Since-'niany' changes, variations, andA modifications in the particular form, construction? 'ndllnterrelation'of the elements Yshownffand ol 'cribed Y I claim as my invention: f-LA garter hitch adapted forfassociationiwith a body'l garment comprising, anlelong'atedgnarrow, 'longitudinally-slotted plate, means` parallel- Ving one Along Irn'arginpf saidlplate'.connectibleito a lower garment edge, whereby to suspend the plate slot substantially horizontal, a loop engaged through the plate slot about the plate portion remote from said means, whereby to slidably relate said loop with the plate portion thereby embraced, and a garter clasp carried by the end of said loop remote from the plate.

2. The organization according to claim l, wherein said plate is providedwitlmal notch laterally offset from and enlarging the rearward end of the plate slot for the reception and retention of said loop.

`3. The Vorganization according to claim l, wherein said plate overles and is secured at one lofits long-margins to a exible backing member landthe margin vof said backing member outwardly paralleling the so-secured plate margin :isadapted for connection with a garment lower edge to suspend the plate from and in the desired relationwith the garment.

fA garterhitch adapted-"for association with "a 1 body garment comprising, -a exible 4backing member sheet,l any elongated,A narrow, longitudinally-'slottedfplate overlyingfandsecured at one 'of itsflong'margnsrto .said "sheet, `a loop engaged Lthrough vvthefplateslotfand-between said plate and'b'acking sheetaboutt'he 'plate portion ref'motely paralleling f the' so-secured plate margin, whereby to slidably relate saidloop with the -piate':.portion thereby embraced, a'notch laterally offset :from and enlarging i one rend or" the -plate slot for the reception and retention of^-said loop, "1a. .garter clasp on -the fendu of saidzfloop rremote from'therplate; andmeans at .the margin of said backing member outwardly'paralleling nthe so- "secured 'plate marginconnectible to and along a lower edge portion of a garment, whereby'to 'suspend'saidplate:from the"garment with the ipiate `slotsubstanti'ally' horizontal, the notch of the plate'slot at the end .of'the 'plate directed Er'earwardlyfof the garmentfy and the loop-sup- "ported garter clasp depending from :its f-slidable association with the plate lower portion.

` WILLIAMD.` SAUL.

Name "Date rsKops "AugZ,` 1904 Chandlee June l5, 1915 -Schofield rJuly 23, 1929 :'Schein-berg "'Feb..28,"1939 ',"Herbener 'r Apr.v 25, 1950 Y- Number 

